Tales from the Deadball Era - Ty Cobb, Home Run Baker, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the Wildest Times in Baseball History (Paperback)

2014 Baseball Caucus Readers' Choice Award winner from the Special Libraries Association The Deadball Era (1901-1920) is a baseball fan's dream. Hope and despair, innocence and cynicism, and levity and hostility blended then to create an air of excitement, anticipation, and concern for all who entered the confines of a Major League ballpark. Cheating for the sake of victory earned respect, corrupt ballplayers fixed games with impunity, and violence plagued the sport. Spectators stormed the field to attack players and umpires, ballplayers charged the stands to pummel hecklers, and physical battles between opposing clubs occurred regularly in a phenomenon known as "rowdyism." At the same time, endearing practices infused baseball with lightheartedness, kindness, and laughter. Fans ran onto the field with baskets of flowers, loving cups, diamond jewelry, gold watches, and cash for their favorite players in the middle of games. Ballplayers volunteered for "benefit contests" to aid fellow big leaguers and the country in times of need. "Joke games" reduced sport to pure theater as outfielders intentionally dropped fly balls, infielders happily booted easy grounders, hurlers tossed soft pitches over the middle of the plate, and umpires ignored the rules. Winning meant nothing, amusement meant everything, and league officials looked the other way. Mark S. Halfon looks at life in the Major Leagues in the early 1900s, the careers of Hall of Famers like John McGraw, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson, and the events that defined the Deadball Era. He highlights the strategies, underhanded tactics, and bitter battles that make this storied era of the game so memorable, while providing detailed insights into the players and teams involved in bringing to a conclusion this remarkable period in baseball history.

General

Imprint:	University of Nebraska Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	February 2023
Authors:	Mark S. Halfon
Dimensions:	229 x 152mm (L x W)
Format:	Paperback - Trade
Pages:	244
ISBN-13:	978-1-4962-3519-0
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > General Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Ball games > Baseball Books > History > History of specific subjects > General Promotions
LSN:	1-4962-3519-3
Barcode:	9781496235190

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!